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corresponds to its realization； to the negative attitude towards otherness； to desire and labour。 But
if desire and work could not carry out for self…consciousness the process of negation； this
polemical attitude towards the manifold substantiality of things will； on the other hand； be
successful； because it turns against them as a free self…consciousness； and one complete within
itself beforehand； or； expressed more definitely； because it has inherent in itself thought or the
principle of infinitude where the independent elements in their distinction from one another are held
to be merelv vanishing quantities。 The differences； which； in the pure thinking of self are only the
abstraction of differences； become here the whole of the differences； and every differentiated
existent becomes a difference of self…consciousness。
With this we get determined the action of Scepticism in general； as also its mode and nature。 It
shows the dialectic movement； which is sense…certainty； perception； and understanding。 It shows；
too； the unessentiality of that which holds good in the relation of master and servant； and which for
abstract thought itself passes as determinate。 That relation involves； at the same time； a
determinate situation； in which there are found even moral laws； as commands of the sovereign
lord。 The determinations in abstract thought； however； are scientific notions； into which formal
contentless thought expands itself； attaching the notion； as a matter of fact in merely an external
fashion； to the existence independent of it； and holding as valid only determinate notions； albeit
they are still pure abstractions。
Dialectic as a negative process； taken immediately as it stands； appears to consciousness； in the
first instance； as something at the mercy of which it is； and which does not exist through
consciousness itself。 In Scepticism； on the other hand； this negative process is a moment of
self…consciousness； which does not simply find its truth and its reality vanish； without
self…consciousness knowing how； but rather which； in the certainty of its own freedom； itself
makes this other； so claiming to be real； vanish。 Self…consciousness here not only makes the
objective as such to disappear before the negations of Scepticism but also its own function in
relation to the object； where the object is held to be objective and made good — i。e。 its function of
perceiving as also its process of securing what is in danger of being lost； viz。 sophistry and its
self…constituted and self…established truth。 By means of this self…conscious negation；
self…consciousness procures for itself the certainty of its own freedom； brings about the experience
of that freedom； and thereby raises it into the truth。 What vanishes is what is determinate； the
difference which； no matter what its nature or whence it comes； sets up to be fixed and
unchangeable。 The difference has nothing permanent in it； and must vanish before thought because
to be differentiated just means not to have being in itself； but to have its essential nature solely in an
other。 Thinking； however； is the insight into this character of what is differentiated； it is the negative
function in its simple； ultimate form。
Sceptical self…consciousness thus discovers； in the flux and alternation of all that would stand
secure in its presence； its own freedom； as given by and received from its own self。 It is aware of
being this of self…thinking thought； the unalterable and genuine certainty of its self。 This certainty
does not arise as a result out of something extraneous and foreign which stowed away inside itself
its whole complex development； a result which would thus leave behind the process by which it
came to be。 Rather consciousness itself is thoroughgoing dialectical restlessness； this mêlée of
presentations derived from sense and thought； whose differences collapse into oneness； and
whose identity is similarly again resolved and dissolved — for this identity is itself determinateness
as contrasted with non…identity。 This consciousness； however； as a matter of fact； instead of being
a self…same consciousness； is here neither more nor less than an absolutely fortuitous embroglio；
the giddy whirl of a perpetually self…creating disorder。 This is what it takes itself to be； for itself
maintains and produces this self…impelling confusion。 Hence it even confesses the fact； it owns to
being； an entirely fortuitous individual consciousness — a consciousness which is empirical； which
is directed upon what admittedly has no reality for it； which obeys what； in its regard； has no
essential being； which realizes and does what it knows to have no truth。 But while it passes in this
manner for an individual； isolated。 contingent； in fact animal life； and a lost self…consciousness； it
also； on the contrary； again turns itself into universal self…sameness； for it is the negativity of all
singleness and all difference。 From this self…identity； or rather within its very self； it falls back once
more into that contingency and confusion； for this very self…directed process of negation has to do
solely with what is single and individual； and is occupied with what is fortuitous。 This form of
consciousness is； therefore； the aimless fickleness and instability of going to and fro； hither and
thither； from one extreme of self…same self…consciousness； to the other contingent； confused and
confusing consciousness。 It does not itself bring these two thoughts of itself together。 It finds its
freedom； at one time； in the form of elevation above all the whirling complexity and all the
contingency of mere existence； and again； at another time； likewise confesses to falling back upon
what is unessential； and to being taken up with that。 It lets the unessential content in its thought
vanish； but in that very act it is the consciousness of something unessential。 It announces absolute
disappearance but the announcement is； and this consciousness is the evanescence expressly
announced。 It announces the nullity of seeing； hearing； and so on； yet itself sees and hears。 It
proclaims the nothingness of essential ethical principles； and makes those very truths the sinews of
its own conduct。 Its deeds and its words belie each other continually； and itself； too； has the
doubled contradictory consciousness of immutability and sameness； and of utter contingency and
non…identity with itself。 But it keeps asunder the poles of this contradiction within itself； and bears
itself towards the contradiction as it does in its purely negative process in general。 If sameness is
shown to it； it points out unlikeness； non…identity； and when the latter； which it has expressly
mentioned the moment before； is held up to it； it passes on to indicate sameness and identity。 Its
talk； in fact； is like a squabble among self…willed children； one of whom says A when the other
says B； and again B； when the other says A； and who； through being in contradiction with
themselves； procure the joy of remaining in contradiction with one another。
In Scepticism consciousness gets； in truth； to know itself as a consciousness containing
contradiction within itself。 From the experience of this proceeds a new attitude which brings
together the two thoughts which Scepticism holds apart。 The want of intelligence which Scepticism
manifests regarding itself is bound to vanish； because it is in fact one consciousness which
possesses these two modes within it。 This new attitude consequently is one which is aware of
being the double consciousness of itself as self…liberating； unalterable； self…identical； and as utterly
self…confounding； self…perverting； and this new attitude is the consciousness of this contradiction
within itself。
In Stoicism； self…consciousness is the bare and simple freedom of itself。 In Scepticism； it realizes
itself； negates the other side of determinate existence； but； in so doing； really doubles itself； and is
itself now a duality。 In this way the duplication； which previously was divided between two
individuals； the lord and the bondsman； is concentrated into one。 Thus we have here that dualizing
of self…consciousness within itself； which lies essentially in the notion of mind； but the unity of the
two elements is not yet present。
The Unhappy Consciousness
Hence the Unhappy Consciousness （1） the Alienated Soul which is the consciousness of self as a
divided nature； a doubled and merely contradictory being。
This unhappy consciousness； divided and at variance within itself； must； because this contradiction
of its essential nature is felt to be a single consciousness； always have in the one consciousness the
other also； and thus must be straightway driven out of each in turn； when it thinks it has therein
attained to the victory and rest of unity。 Its true return into itself； or reconciliation with itself； will；
however； display the notion of mind endowed with a life and existence of its own； because it
implicitly involves the fact that； while being an undivided consciousness； it is a
double…consciousness。 It is itself the gazing of one self…consciousness into another； and itself is
both； and the unity of both is